Conservation of Fraser River White Sturgeon

Conservation of the White Sturgeon is of the utmost importance to Yves. That is why he is part of the Fraser River Sturgeon Conservation Society. On your trip you will be involved directly with the tagging program while you scan, tag, and measure each fish with us. White Sturgeon were overfished for way too long and as a result, their population was nearly wiped out in the early 1900s. In particular, sturgeon are sought after for their roe, which is used for caviar throughout the world.

In 1997 the Fraser River Sturgeon Conservation Society was founded to manage & help restore the White Sturgeon population in the Fraser River.

Sturgeon can reach over 12 feet long and exceed 1000 lbs reaching ages up to 150 years. These prehistoric fish don’t reproduce until they are 15 years of age for males & over 20 years for females. Females spawn only every 4 to 10 years. While Sturgeon don’t have any natural predators, the reproduction cycle is quite infrequent.

Yves Bisson has taken a large role in the preservation of the Fraser River White Sturgeon. As a sturgeon fishing guide, he jumped at the opportunity to become part of the volunteer tagging program. Since this time, Yves has personally scanned (and tagged when appropriate) over 14,000 fish.

In 2016, Yves Bisson was given the Fraser River Sturgeon Conservation Society’s Volunteer Of The Year Award, for his tagging commitment and other involvement within the society.